German referees will receive a fixed annual allowance for their benefits in championship matches, which can reach up to 40,000 euros, to which will add scales of match, said Wolfgang Niersbach, German Football Federation president (DFB).
“It’s not a revolution, it’s a reform,” DFB chief said Saturday at a meeting of referees in Altensteig-Wart, refusing to say whether Germany referees will become professionals.
Determined scale is the following: 40,000 euros / season for the three referees listed in the FIFA elite, Wolfgang Stark, Florian Meyer and Felix Brych; 30,000 euros for other referees from the FIFA list and for those with more than five years experience in the first echelon; 20,000 euros for the rest of referees from Bundesliga 1; 15,000 euros for the referees officiating in the second league.
In addition to these fixed amounts referees will receive and scales of the match, amounting in the first division to 3,800 euros for the central referee and 2,000 euros for the assistant referees.
The reform about Niersbach speaks costs one million euros per season, and the DFB will negotiate with the German professional league (DFL) to divide this amount.
Besides the financial aspect, DFB decided to awarding a physiotherapist for each brigade of referees officiating a game from the first league.
“Expectations are very high in the regard of our referees. We have to offer the best conditions to prepare in an optimum manner, so that they focus solely on arbitration,” said DFB president.
These measures will be taken starting with the 2013/2014 season.